Dudhi chi Phodi ~ Shallow fried Pumpkins

I find it really difficult to get back to cooking after a break.Yes,even if the break is for as less as two days,the thought of getting back into the kitchen and cook really puts me off.Ajay jokes that the food automatically tastes too salty,too sour or too spicy for sometime before I am back on track..can’t blame him completely here;).

Other than the regular fare,I find cooking for lunch is the most time-consuming,not cooking-wise but the whole time spent on thinking about what-to-cook.After our regular veggie shopping I had a whole array of vegetables looking at me and I got my inspiration from these humble pumpkins.Ma-in-law had made these yummy phodis once she was here and I was too busy hogging to ask her the recipe.

I came across this recipe here and made some modifications.Made a Sambhar[not with beets though;)] and fried some papads,with phodis and curd on the side,I had a happy man content with the lunch!!

Dudhi chi Phodi
Recipe slightly adapted from here

Ingredients

Pumpkin slices – 10-12,thinly sliced
Red chilly powder – 1 ½ tsp
Salt to taste
Hing/asafoetida – ½ tsp
Fine sooji/semolina – ¼ cup
Oil – 2 tsp

Method

Make a paste of red chilly powder,salt and hing with 1 or 2 tsps of water.
Mix the pumpkin slices with this well and make sure the masala is coated evenly on the slices. Keep aside for ½ an hour.
Dip each slices in semolina and place evenly on a hot tawa.
Add 1 or 2 tsps oil on top and close with a lid and fry on simmer.
After 5 minutes or so,turn the pieces and roast the other side too.
Makes a perfect accompaniment with rice and sambhar.